Do You Think I’m Beautiful – Week 1
Oh friends, I hope and pray that you have been enjoying this new book study as much as I have. I can’t even begin to tell you the new insights, the tears, the empowerment, the power and passion that are in this study. There is STILL time if you have someone that would like to join us, run, don’t walk to your nearest book store to pick it up.
Ok, with that said…HOLY CANOLI, were you BLOWN away this week or what? I am so thrilled to be able to go on this journey with each of you and I know that God is up to something REALLY amazing with each and every one of us.
As we dive in today, let’s park for a moment and talk about (this is where you can share in the comments section) a little about a time when you remember feeling like a WALLFLOWER. You know, the time when you “got passed over” either in a relationship, job, party, etc.
Why is it so easy for us to remember those times? Take a minute to watch this video clip and then join me on the other side of it for some more discussion…
After watching that video let’s take a few minutes to sit and think about these questions.
1) When have you felt that you did not belong, that you were on the edge of the room or the wallflower at the dance?
2) When have you felt surprised and thrilled to be chosen, found beautiful, included in the dance of life?
3) When have you acted like an ugly stepmother or stepsister?
4) When have you affirmed or helped someone else like a wonderful fairy godmother?
5) Which role is most familiar to you?
6) Which role do you most long for?
Psalm 139:1-3 says,
“O LORD you have searched me
and you know me
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar
You discern my going out and my laying down:
you are familiar with all my ways.”
Friends, TODAY I would like for you to go get a single balloon, blow it up, and on the outside of that balloon I want you to write out all the negative things you have thought, someone has said, or you believe about yourself. Anything that makes you feel like you are “not enough”. The “not enough” junk has been a friend of mine for far too long…it’s time we both get rid of that ugly thing. You are MORE THAN ENOUGH because you are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “The king is enthralled by your beauty.” ~Psalm 45:11.
After you get all the junk on the balloon I want you to, in the most dramatic way you can think (whether it is popping it, smashing it, stepping it, driving over it, whatever…) pop that balloon and all the “not enough’s” that you have been holding on to.
I then would like for you to take that verse from Psalm 139:1-3 and print it out and keep it on your bathroom mirror, in your car, at your desk…wherever you will see it to remind your self who you are in Him.
Come back next week as we jump into Week #2!
If you haven’t invited a friend yet, then go ahead…ask someone to join you on this journey…you just never know who might need it more this right now!
Enjoy the Journey, Melissa
I just got my book so I haven’t yet got fully into the first chapter, but I love it. Yes, I definitely can relate. All through grade school I was pretty shy and quiet. My best friend moved away and I was SO lonely without a group to connect to. Didn’t fit back in again until 1/2 through h.s. when I moved to a new school. Suddenly I was more confident, and I viewed differently — my old layers were shed so I could be ME! Amazing how that happens, in a new setting when you can have confidence again. But you never forget that feeling of being less than accepted or beautiful.
Such a great and important study for all of us!
Thanks Mel…really looking forward to getting into it!
Melissa
Good Granny’s gravy!! I can indentify with all of those, and its amazing how long I have held on to it (yikes) I have put all those thoughts and feelings into a balloon and let it go (lets hope I dont try to take it back).
My book isn’t here yet. It always takes longer getting to Canada! I’ll jump right in as soon as I get it.
I am really enjoying this book, I see the challenge in it, but more than that it feels good, timely, root stuff and it’s making me smile…if that makes sense.
At Primary school and in my young years I felt very much the Wallflower. I remember being chosen out of a big group to be part of a team of 6 children in a dance troup at School – I was so excited and the sounds of muttered disappointments from the other kids and their expressions as their ‘cool’ friends weren’t chosen, but totally ‘uncool’ me, stayed with me some over the years – but as I type this, I feel that God chooses me out of a crowd, pulls me out in his time and with his approval and that makes me smile my head off – hard to explain, but that memory is healed – though on harder days I do still have that wallflower mentality and put myself against the wall, even when not necessary!